98 ORIGIN AND SPREAD OF THE TAMILS combined to bring about the resemblance." (Hall, The Ancient History of the Near East, 8th edition p. 209). 30. Page 49, 1. 10. The Worship of the Bull: The Cretan bull was a natural symbol of power and strength. The bull-leaping sports had a quasi-religious character and therefore some sanctity attached itself to the bull. But there is no direct authority for speaking of a bull god in Crete. (See p. 274 of Bendlepury, The Archaelogy of Crete : An Introduction, 1939). There are ruins of the Middle Minoan Period of a painted relief in plaster, of a scene from a bull-ring, The bull was always sacrificed to God Poseidon and its blood was drunk by the priestess to secure inspiration. It was looked upon as an emblem of the thunder god, as a symbol of the Sun and as a type of reproductive energy. Among the Hittites it was worshipped as a symbol of thunder and fertility and it was regarded as the symbol of the Father God. Its testicles were used in the rites of Cybele and of Attis. The bull also indicated the corn spirit and it was sacri. ficed at the Zulu festival of first fruits. It was used as a scape-goat in Ancient Egypt. The bull was an important element in the Mithraic religion. Bull fights and athletic games were indulged ip at the festivals of new fruits. 31. See G. Glotz, The Aegean Civilsation (Kegan Paul, 1925) pp. 293-5. Bull-leaping was one of the national sports in Crete. There is a fine illustration on p. 295. See also, A. A. Trover, The Ancient Near East and Greece, pp. 123-8. 32. The word 'Kerethi' (Kerethi or Cherethim) is rendered into Cretans in the Greek version of the Bible. The inhabitants of the Palestinian Coast have a tradition that they were
